The transportation of heavy cargo is often done by truck and transport trailers. In some cases, it is feasible to transport the goods within a conventional closed trailer, accessible from the rear doors. However, for some cargo it is required to have the trailer accessible from the sides. For example, in the transport of sod, the cargo cannot be efficiently loaded from the rear. Thus, flatbed trucks wherein the cargo can be loaded and unloaded from the sides are often used in the transport of such types of cargo.
For the transport of sod, in particular, it is mandated that the cargo loaded flatbed be enclosed so as to prevent spillage of the sod. In many cases this is done with a tarpaulin system that spans the length of the flatbed trailer, from front to rear between bulkheads at either end and that is retractable to allow for the sides to be open for loading and unloading and closed for transport. Thus there is a need for a system to move the tarpaulin system effectively and efficiently between the open and closed positions.
Many manual systems have been devised and implemented, there are known deficiencies. For example, some systems require the operator or driver to climb up on top of the load to release and/or secure the tarpaulin at the top and then climb down to secure and/or release the tarpaulin at the bottom. This results in increased risk of injury as well as inefficiencies in the movement of the tarp.
Other systems attempt to employ a remotely activated means of moving the tarpaulin between the open and closed positions. However, many of those incorporate expensive of bulky constructions or do not allow for the tarp to be held in an intermediate position between the fully open and fully closed positions. In one such construction, of Poyntz (U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,828) the control arm located at the front and rear bulkheads to open and close the tarpaulin is a telescoping arrangement.